James Brown performing in 1973, the man whose funk 45s set the template
25 Essential Funk 45s: A Listening Guide

Twenty-five funk singles that show what the seven-inch could do, the regional scenes behind them, [...]

22
Sep
Otis Redding, whose 1965 album Otis Blue was cut in about 22 hours at Stax
Otis Redding — Otis Blue: The Album That Made the Soul LP

Recorded in about 22 hours in July 1965, Otis Blue is routinely called the definitive [...]

22
Sep
The Stax Museum marquee in Memphis, on the site of the original Stax Records studio
Stax Records: The Story of Soulsville, USA

How a disused Memphis cinema became the most important soul label in America, the contract [...]

22
Sep